1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to electronic card connectors for reading/accessing electronic cards, such as memory cards, and in particular to a stacked assembly of two electronic card connectors of different types, such as a Card Bus connector and a Smart Card connector.
2. The Related Arts
Electronic card connectors have been widely used in a variety of electronic devices that require additional memory. Examples of the electronic cards are PCMCIA/Card Bus cards and Smart Cards. Each different electronic card can only be accessed by means of a unique connector. Although two PCMCIA connectors stacked together is known, such as U.S. Pat. No. 5,324,204, it is mainly for doubling the card receiving space in order to receive memory cards of different sizes. Heretofore, Card Bus connectors and Smart Card connectors are still individually mounted in for example a notebook computer. This not only increases the number of parts of the notebook computer, but also requires a great amount of space for accommodating these individual electronic card connectors.
It is thus desirable to provide a stacked assembly of a Card Bus connector and a Smart Card connector for alleviating the above-discussed problems.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a stacked assembly of a Card Bus connector and a Smart Card connector, both of which are provided with an electronic card ejection mechanism and are well shielded for protection against electromagnetic interference.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a stacked electronic card connector assembly comprising two different electronic card connectors stacked over each other for reducing footprint of a printed circuit board that the electronic card connectors occupy.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an electronic card connector assembly, which comprises less number of parts.
To achieve the above objects, in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a stacked electronic card connector assembly comprising a Smart Card connector including a contact module having a housing retaining a number of first contacts and a Card Bus connector comprising a header retaining a number of second contacts. An insulative frame defines an opening receiving and retaining the contact module of the Smart Card connector. The header is stacked over the housing of the Smart Card connector. The Smart Card connector has a first ejection mechanism for removing a Smart Card out of the Smart Card connector. The Card Bus connector has a second ejection mechanism for removing an electronic card out of the Card Bus connector. The ejection mechanisms comprise top and bottom plates respectively positioned below the Smart Card connector and above the Card Bus connector and rocking arms rotatably supported by the bottom and top plates. Manually operable ejection bars are coupled to the rocking arms for driving the electronic cards out of the connectors. Shielding shells are attached and enclose the connectors. A circuit board is soldered to contacts of the connectors and grounding pins extending from the top plate. The circuit board is engageable with an electrical connector mounted to a main circuit board, such as a motherboard of a notebook computer, thereby electrically connecting the Smart Card connector and the Card Bus connector to the main circuit board.